Research Update (January 6, 2020)

Research Update (January 6, 2020)

Diligence Technologies Inc., West Tennessee

As we kick off a new year, greenhouse work continues to increase, meeting season moves into high gear, and plans begin for another season.  We are very thankful for the past trial year, but this is the point in the cycle where it really hits home that it is time to start all over again.

Call us with your greenhouse projects.  Look us up at the winter meetings to talk about your plans for the summer.  And start putting the finishing touches on those spring wheat and burndown trials (it will be time to head back to the field before you know it).  We look forward to another great year of helping you with your research projects.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Many thanks to our friends at the North Central Weed Science Society for making the meeting in Columbus such a great experience.  If we missed you there, never fear.  We have a full slate of meetings scheduled and look forward to catching up with you over the next couple of months.  Here is a summary of what we currently have on the calendar:

NAICC (Jan. 22-25, San Antonio, TX)

SWSS (Jan. 27-29, Biloxi, MS)

Cotton & Rice Conference (Jan. 30-31, Memphis, TN)

Grain Conference (Feb. 6, Dyersburg, TN)

TN Ag Production Association (Feb. 12, Jackson, TN)

Cotton Focus (Feb. 13, Jackson, TN)

Gin Show (Feb. 28-29, Memphis, TN)

WSSA (Mar. 2-5, Maui, HI)

CROPPING SEASONS:

Things are quiet in the field right now as you would expect.  We have a few projects that run through the winter, but even those are mostly put to bed except for the occasional rating.  Hard to imagine that it all will change in a couple of short months from now.  And even though things get busy in a hurry, I can assure you that the warmer temperatures and time outside are always welcome in the spring.  The winter wheat appears to be in good shape for now, and we should have a good crop of burndown weeds to get the season started.

GREENHOUSE ACTIVITIES:

The diversity of crops and pests we work with in the greenhouse is always fascinating.  I got a call from a long-time friend recently asking if we could grow a wide assortment of vegetable crops for an upcoming trial.  The thing that made the call memorable to me was that we had grown them all before.  With every different crop he would name, we gave him a reply that was some version of “yep, we’ve done that”.  When I get some “free time”, I need to look back and put together a list of crops, pests, and trial types that have come through the greenhouse.  For now, just allow me to say that if you are looking for a weed or two, there is a good chance we can grow it.  Bugs can be a little harder to come by at this time of year, but we will do what we can.  And as for crops of various kinds, there is a good chance you will hear something like “yep, we’ve done that”.  Give us a try and find out.

WEATHER INFO:

The early part of winter has been generally mild with plenty of moisture.  As mentioned above, this should be good news for both winter wheat and winter weeds for burndown trials.  That said, we still have at least two more months before things really start to “wake up” for the spring.

As always, we wish you and your family all the best in coming year.  Let us know what we can do to make your burden a little lighter.

Proverbs 12:27

… the substance of the diligent man is precious.

Research Update (December 2, 2019)

Research Update (December 2, 2019)

Diligence Technologies Inc., West Tennessee

EVENTS FROM THE PAST MONTH:

2019 harvest season is finally complete.  If you believe the saying that in a good year you finish up by Halloween and in a tough year you hope to get done by Thanksgiving, then this must have been a “typical” year as we completed harvest right between the two.  The fast start to harvest season was slowed by frequent showers and a few mechanical difficulties, but it is now in the books and everyone should have reports in hand.  As always, we have a few winter trials to look after and maintenance to perform, but for the most part we are looking forward to the warmth and comfort of the greenhouse. 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

When field work slows down, meeting season kicks off and this year appears to be no exception.  Look for us at the following meetings this winter:

NCWSS (Dec. 10-13, Columbus, OH)

NAICC (Jan. 22-25, San Antonio, TX)

SWSS (Jan. 27-29, Biloxi, MS)

Cotton & Rice Conference (Jan. 30-31, Memphis, TN)

Grain Conference (Feb. 6, Dyersburg, TN)

TN Ag Production Association (Feb. 12, Jackson, TN)

Cotton Focus (Feb. 13, Jackson, TN)

RTWG (Feb. 24-27, Orange Beach, AL)

Gin Show (Feb. 28-29, Memphis, TN)

WSSA (Mar. 2-5, Maui, HI)

GREENHOUSE ACTIVITIES:

The greenhouse season is “officially” underway with our first round of research trials now off and running.  At this point in the season, we still have plenty of time conduct your trials before spring and several of our newly renovated greenhouse benches open for your use.  Now is a great time let us know what projects you are considering, and we will put the plans in motion.

Weed control and crop phytotoxicity trials have been the first order of business this season.  This comes as no surprise as they tend to be a greenhouse staple.  However, we will likely be moving into some other areas (insects, turf, etc.) soon.  With the flexibility a greenhouse provides, we are constantly amazed variety of projects we seem to encounter each winter.  Feel free to add to the fun.

WEATHER INFO:

We have had a little of everything weather-wise lately (rain, cold, warm, sunny) which really means about “normal” I suppose.  A hot, dry September gave way to a cold, wet October and November leaving very little of the typical fall that we often enjoy.  There have been enough breaks in the rain to get some harvesting done and winter wheat planted, but it seems most of the work this fall has occurred in quick burst of activity.  Like I said, “normal”.  In any case we should have plenty of wheat for spring trials when you get your plans in order.

PEST INFO:

Things are relatively quiet right now when it comes to pests.  We should have plenty of winter weeds for winter and spring burndown trials.  Otherwise, most of the pests we are dealing with are the ones we “manufacture” in the greenhouse.

We at Diligence Technologies are blessed that you have chosen to work with us again this season.  Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to support the industry that provides the food and fiber we all need.  We wish you and your families the very best as we all take time this month to remember the birth of Jesus.

Proverbs 12:24

The hand of the diligent shall bear rule, but the slothful shall be put to forced labor.

Research Update (November 4, 2019)

Research Update (November 4, 2019)

Diligence Technologies Inc., West Tennessee

 

The greenhouse is open and planting has begun.  Now is a great time to send us your winter greenhouse protocols.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Our meeting season will kick off in December with the NCWSS meeting in Columbus, OH the 10^th-13^th.  Let us know if you are planning to be there.  In January things start to get busy as we plan to be at the following meetings:

NAICC, San Antonio, TX (Jan. 22-25)

SWSS, Biloxi, MS (Jan. 27-29)

Cotton & Rice Conf., Memphis, TN (Jan. 30-31)

We will announce our February and March schedules as when we get the details set.

 

CROPPING SEASONS:

We are trying to reach the end of harvest season for 2019.  With the exception of our late soybean trials, all the yielded trials are out of the field and we are finishing off the final reports.  The early part of harvest season went well for the most part with only a few scattered rains to slow progress.  However, we had some heavy rains and fewer drying days as we moved into the later part of October.  Most of the soybeans are ready to harvest when we can get back in the field. 

Wheat planting is largely done, although we still have time for a late trial or two if you have the need.  We also have some large blocks of wheat planted that can be converted to plots for postemergence trials this winter or next spring.

We still have a few miscellaneous trials in the field, but field work for the season is slowing rapidly in general.

 

GREENHOUSE ACTIVITIES:

As field work slows, we are turning our attention to the greenhouse.  Our heated greenhouse space is open and ready for another winter of testing.  In past years, we have conducted a wide variety of trials on row crops, vegetables, turf, and even fruit trees.  We can also grow a wide range of weeds and offer testing on about any other pests we can get our hands on in winter.  Let us know how we can serve you by generating data during the cold months.

 

WEATHER INFO:

We finally got a break from the hot, dry weather of September and received some much-needed rainfall.  It was dry enough that we generally did not grip too much about the interruptions during harvest (at least not until the later part of October).  And a break from the heat did not feel bad either as temperatures returned to their seasonal norms.  The showers also allowed us to get wheat off to a good start, so things have returned to normal for the moment.

PEST INFO:

The late October rainfall should help provide us with a good crop of weeds for fall and spring burndown trials.  Let us know if you are looking for some burndown spots and we will make it happen.

Proverbs 10:4

He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand, but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

Research Update (October 7, 2019)

Research Update (October 7, 2019)

Diligence Technologies Inc., West Tennessee

CROPPING SEASONS:

For the first time this season, we have had a real dry spell.  The past few weeks have been unusually warm for September and rainfall has been hard to come by.  Corn was pretty much done before the dry weather hit, so I do not believe we will see much impact there.  However, it has made cotton move along a bit faster than anticipated and we are well into defoliation at this point.  Our biggest concern has been our soybean disease plots.  Due to replanting, our soybeans are later than normal and the dry weather has not helped the development of frogeye leaf spot.  We did get some relief from the dry weather in Jackson, but let’s hope it was not too late.

GREENHOUSE ACTIVITIES:

With all the warm weather, it is hard to convince ourselves that we need to be getting the greenhouse ready for winter.  However, we have braved the heat and have things in pretty good shape for another season.  We will be running trials in October, so let us know if you have any projects in the works.

 

WEATHER INFO:

A hot, dry September has been the latest weather challenge this season.  Frequent rains slowed trial establishment early in the year, but those same rains have produced some nice trials so we really do not have much to grip about.  If the fall continues to be warm and dry, I would anticipate an earlier harvest season than last year (when it started raining and would not stop).

 PEST INFO:

Weed pressure has been excellent for the most part this season as the rain showers have resulted in constant flushes of new weeds.  We, of course, are probably the only ones happy about that.

Insect pressure has been variable depending on the species.  We had some excellent fall armyworm pressure in our late-planted corn. Plant bug pressure in cotton has been moderate but steady.  Not the outstanding populations that are seen at times, but enough to get some work done.  Soybeans have had plenty of insects except stinkbugs.  However, the stinkbug populations have picked up in our latest soybeans and I think those trials will be fine.

Gray leaf spot in corn was very good this year.  It did start a bit later in the season, but the pressure was more than adequate for fungicide evaluations.  The jury is still out on frogeye leaf spot in soybeans.  Pressure has been lighter than normal and slow to develop.  The degree of separation we will see in yields is still up in the air.

 

Hope all is well with our friends as they finish off the 2019 cropping season.  Let us know what you need in the way of wheat trials and greenhouse work as those are next on our list.

 

PROVERBS 27:23-24

Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds; for riches are not forever.

 

Research Update (April 1, 2019)

Research Update (April 1, 2019)

Diligence Technologies Inc., West Tennessee

 

EVENTS FROM THE PAST MONTH:

The “real” part of our season is fast approaching as we reach April.  March provided the first relief in a long time from the constant showers of winter.  Moderating temperatures and sunshine have allowed us to make at least some progress in getting ready for the coming growing season.  Paperwork is still a big part of our daily lives at this point.  Anything we can do to get ourselves a bit more ready will be greatly appreciated in the coming months.

 

CROPPING SEASONS:

Wheat is beginning green-up and resuming growth after the winter.  The periods of nice weather in March allowed us to do some much-needed maintenance (spraying and fertilizing).  Now is the time to let us know if you have any need for foliar fungicide work in wheat this year.  We have some wheat left, but the time for application will be here before you know it.

Burndown trials are starting to go out.  While they often start a bit earlier in the season (March), this season the weeds are getting a little slower start due to the poor early growing conditions.  We are just now seeing the weed growth needed to get most of our trials into the proper application window.  We may still have a few burndown spots available if you need to slide something in at the last moment.

We are about to get corn planting underway for the year.  In general, we usually start planting corn beginning the second week of April if the weather will cooperate.  Let’s hope it does this season.

 

GREENHOUSE ACTIVITIES:

Still plenty going on in the greenhouse as we attempt to finish off the season.  Stop by if you are in the neighborhood this spring.  You will see a variety of crops from old standards like corn and soybean to more unusual selections like mustard greens, radish, and turf.  We can also supply a variety of weeds of you need to tune your identification skills prior to summer.  The greenhouse should be going strong through April and we hope to have it shut down soon after that.

 

WEATHER INFO:

We have finally started to get some warm, sunny days to dry out the fields and help with preparations for the season.  The wheat and winter annual weeds are turning green and beginning to grow.  We are out of the field right now due to rain this past weekend, but we hope to be back in the field soon.  However, if experience is any indicator, there are still a few cold spells left in April that can make things interesting going forward.

 

PEST INFO:

About all we have to offer in the way of pests right now is a good population of winter annuals.  Summer weeds have not really got going yet and insects have not been a huge factor for us this winter.  I would expect to see foliar wheat diseases begin to take off in the near future, so again, please let us know soon if you have any wheat fungicide trials that need a home.

 

We are excited to begin another growing season and look forward to seeing you around the farm.  Let us know what we can do to support your research program this season.

 

Proverbs 22:29

Seest thou a man diligent in his business?  He shall stand before kings…

Research Update (March 4, 2019)

Research Update (March 4, 2019)

 Diligence Technologies Inc., West Tennessee
 
 
EVENTS FROM THE PAST MONTH:

February was a busy month.  Our meeting stops included:

Southern Weed Science Society (Oklahoma City)
West Tennessee Grain Conference (Dyersburg)
Cotton Focus (Jackson)
Tennessee Ag Production Association (Jackson)
Gin Show (Memphis)

We had a great month of catching up with old friends and planning for new season of research trials.  If we have not had the opportunity to start planning your trials for the coming year, give us a call and we'll be glad include you in the program.


UPCOMING EVENTS:

As meeting season comes to a close, field work starts to pick up.  March tends to be a transition month in Tennessee.  Our winter greenhouse work is still going strong this month and our field work is generally limited to wheat trials and burndown work.  But this is the month where we start to realize that winter is letting go and planting is just around the corner.


CROPPING SEASONS:

We did manage to spray a few wheat plots with a backpack in February, but it was difficult to do much past that.  The fields generally remain too wet for equipment (and often have been to wet to walk on).  We are still looking for a little window to do wheat maintenance sprays and fertilization.  Burndown trials will begin in March and we appear to have a good crop of weeds to work with.  We still have time to slide in a few more burndown trials if you have the need.


GREENHOUSE ACTIVITIES:

While things are slow in the field, growing conditions in the greenhouse remain perfect.  Things remain busy as we finish off the early trials and begin a few later ones.  As usual, we have once again expanded the range of things we have done in the greenhouse to include new crops, products, and application methods.  As strange as it seems, we will only have the greenhouse open for a couple more months (give or take), so consider this to be "last call" for any greenhouse work you might have this season.


WEATHER INFO:

The only word you need to know about our weather for the past month (or the past four months for that matter) is "wet".  We have already received more that twice the rain we received to this point last year.  With the cooler temperatures and limited sunshine, we have had very little opportunity for things to dry out.  Like everyone else in west Tennessee, we are looking forward to some warm, sunny days in March to dry things out and get things going in earnest.


PEST INFO:

Other than winter weeds (of which we have plenty), there is not a lot to discuss in the way of pest pressure.  Aphids in wheat, while usually present, have not been a major issue for us so far this season.  However, look for wheat foliar diseases to start making their annual appearance this month and next.  If you are in need of a foliar disease trial in wheat, we should have you covered.


We are again thankful for all the friends and customers we have visited with over the past few months.  It is one of the truly enjoyable parts of the job.  We look forward to another great year and ask that you let us know how we can serve you in the coming season.


Proverbs 21:5

The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness.